Question Turkey hen on LOTs of eggs! UPDATE NOW THEIR FIGHTING

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Our Midget Whites have finally started setting, the problem is all three girls are laying in one nest. They settled on the smallest nest in the pen (chicken size of course) and now two girls are laying on top of each other over the top of 28 eggs (I checked for fertility and all are good) Should I let them be or should I divide up the batch and make them separate? NEED SUGGESTIONS from people that have raised them before as these are my first. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

***Editing to add that I removed the divider to make the nests bigger, now their are two instead of three. The problem now is that they are fighting over the eggs, one will take some to her nest and when she gets off to leave the other takes them back, now all three girls are broody on 28 eggs. I do not have any more pens to separate these girls, any suggestions???

 

[chseeads]

I would think it would be better to separate them....

Two piling into one nest are liable to end up breaking eggs. Having each one on her own nest would also allow for better coverage of the eggs so they wouldn't run the risk of being chilled from not being fully covered, etc....

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Well they are so careful about turning them and taking care of them, do I need to worry about mixing up the eggs when I move them? I was not sure if that was bad for them? I have never had a broody turkey before and boy is she cranky, she hisses at me if I come near the nest (there is one that lays on the eggs constantly and one that lays on her at night only usually on top of her. A little nervous about trying to take them from her!

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Seperate them or what will happen is that not all of the eggs will get covered all the time and you won't get a good hatch. Just give each one her own box/bin with the eggs in them.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Thanks for the response, I decided to take out the dividers in the nest boxes this morning. I about lost an eyeball in the process, she was not a happy camper with me messing with her, she hissed the whole time I worked.

 

[Praxxus]

I woulda wated till they got up to go eat and then moved the eggs into separate nests. but then again I woulda no doubt lost an eyeball if she caught me. Nothing says "RUN!" quite like a ticked off female turkey.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

She leaves for maybe 5 minutes a day. I swear, she drinks, eats a bite, and goes right back to laying on all those eggs. When I took the divider out I could not even see one egg under her she had them all covered the whole time.

 

[turkey guru]

she also raises her temp by 2% amazing tom!!!

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

It's been a lot of fun watching her methodically turn/move the eggs, hopefully we will have a good hatch!

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Updated the first post, need more suggestions please!